29/08/2023
Ottawa, Ontario — Tuesday August 29, 2023
Dr. Zakia Djaoud, Scientist at the CHEO Research Institute and University of Ottawa professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, was named Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Virus Host Interactions.
“I am honored to be named a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Virus Host Interactions. I am eager to accelerate my research at the CHEO Research Institute, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of how γδ T cells, a type of immune cells, can effectively control herpesviruses and combat cancer,” said Dr. Djaoud.
Dr. Djaoud is working to understand how immune cells known as γδ T cells can control herpesviruses and cancer cells. Her research focuses on how genetics and patients’ immunological history affect the impact of γδ T cells in combating these diseases.
Dr. Djaoud’s previous work has demonstrated the potential of γδ T cells to control the cancer-promoting Epstein-Barr virus and regulate natural killer cells. Her goal now is to enhance γδ T cell-based therapies for herpesvirus-mediated diseases and cancer. She will investigate the γδ T cell repertoire, explore the function of certain surface proteins in γδ T cell immunity against herpesviruses and assess the repopulation of γδ T cells after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with cancer and herpesvirus infections.
This research could lead to promising outcomes in health care and patient well-being across the globe